MARTINSBURG — The Altoona-Blair County Airport’s year-over-year passenger numbers have continued to increase every month since the airport redirected its service to Charlotte, airport manager Tracy Plessinger said Wednesday.

October showed a 51% year-over-year increase from 2023; November had a 134% increase, December, 241%; and January had a 262% increase from 2024, Plessinger said, noting Contour Airlines carried 1,420 passengers in and out of the airport last month.

Although passenger numbers for January were down 27% from December 2024, the decrease was to be expected because of holiday travelers flying in December, Plessinger said.

According to Plessinger’s report to the airport authority, Contour Airlines’ overall completion rate for January was 93%. Only two of eight cancellations were controllable and not weather related, he said.

Plessinger said La Fiesta’s sales for January were down 8% from December, but up 20% from January 2024. Avis/Budget sales for January were down by 20% from December, but up 48% from January 2024, he said.

According to Avis/Budget manager Nick Bechtel’s report to the authority, January was “a great way to start the year,” with an increase of volume equalizing 51 more rentals than in January 2024.

The airport completed a total of 158 outbound rentals during the month, he said.

“As we are currently in the slowest two-month period of rental car operations, the volume increase is encouraging,” Bechtel said in his report. “We are continuing to see an abundance of repeat customers from the flight and businesses in the community.”

Bechtel said one customer praised the airport’s efforts to clean their vehicles. The customer reportedly told Bechtel, “It was the cleanest rental vehicle she has ever been in and she was afraid to get it dirty.”

“The condition of our vehicles is an aspect we stress at our location, so this was very reassuring,” he said.

During a meeting Wednesday, the airport authority approved its amended 2025 budget, which now projects operating revenues set at $2,139,981 and expenses at $2,084,267.

Plessinger said the authority had to amend the agenda to account for a new management agreement with La Fiesta and land leases with farmers Michael Disney, Kulp Family Dairy, Gerald Smith and Mark Zimmerman. The authority approved both agreements during the meeting.

The authority also heard from Rocky Navarro of McFarland Johnson, the lead planner for the airport’s 10-year master plan, during the meeting’s public comment period.

Navarro, who spoke during the meeting via a video conference call, said since the plan’s development started, the scoping task “is basically complete.”

A second task involves inventory surveys and data collection, which is less than 10% complete, he said.

That task is expected to be complete by June, Navarro told the board, noting the plan has to be approved by the Federal Aviation Administration before he can go beyond 35% with the project.

“We’re anticipating a few months for FAA review, but it’s up in the air in terms of how fast they’ll be able to turn that around,” Navarro said.

Navarro said the next steps after that involve deciding what facility requirements are needed in terms of potential growth for the airport.

Plessinger told Navarro, “From my perspective, where we are right now with the RJ (regional jet) size aircraft is sort of a good sweet spot for us.”

The jet class size of 30 to 50 passengers “serves the community well,” Plessinger said. “It seems like that’s a good spot for us.”

Mirror Staff Writer Matt Churella is at 814-946-7520.